Ballykissangel: Am I Missing Something?
by CallMeButLove
Summary: Inspired by the conversation in St. Joesph's before Assumpta was hit by the stone...


Am I Missing Something? By AssumptaFan (a.k.a. CallMeButLove)

Here's a `Missing Scene' for your consideration. I enjoyed the other `missing scenes' that have been posted, and this one came to my head while watching Series 1 yet again. It takes place in the middle of `Missing You Already', and the time frame is pretty close to the episode I think. Forgive me for the extensive recap of the church scene; I just felt it was the perfect place to insert my little piece. I hope it flows well for you. A scene in `Fallen Angel' inspired me. Enjoy!

* * *

"Assumpta am I missing something? What are you doing up here?" There is some thinly veiled sarcasm in his question more due to his own frustrations than to her unusual presence at St. Joseph's.

"Same as everyone else, a bit of piece and quiet." She is near her breaking point, and looks everywhere but at his eyes.

"There's more to it than that," he answers mildly.

"I had sixteen years of it, Father I just want… oh I've done enough arguing today thanks anyway," she starts to storm past him, but he reaches out kindly and stops her.

"Assumpta wait." He moves back to the door and re-opens it, gesturing for her to pass inside. "Very big on peace and quiet."

Assumpta moves to a pew and sits down, and Peter stands leaning against the wall a respectful distance away. She sighs, and speaks.

"Look Father..."

"Assumpta I'm due at Niamh's but…"

"If I want to talk right?" She turns to him but immediately continues. "No. I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to be rude."

"It's what I do, it doesn't make me a hustler," he answers.

After a small crack about timesharing, and an offer to listen anytime he exits, leaving her to her `peace and quiet'. A short while later Peter is just finishing bandaging Assumpta's cut forehead, and listening to her concerns about Quigley when inspiration strikes him.

"I wondered when you'd finally let me take you for that birthday drink. You remember you said another time?"

"I- yes I remember. It's just I don't want to leave the Pub unattended any longer," she answers rather lamely.

"So ask Brendan. You know he'll be in later as will Siobhan," he presses her.

"Um- I, ok all right."

He leaves with a quick smile and feels that the change of scenery will be good for both of them. It might be their last chance if his transfer goes through. Soon after Peter has gone, and Assumpta has finished re-stocking the shelves, and making the evening's light supper, Brendan, Siobhan, and Padraig walk into the Pub fully involved in a conversation amongst themselves about a certain ram.

"Brendan, could you do us a favor?" Assumpta asks after settling a plate and pint in front of all of them.

"Course Assumpta. What is it?"

"I need to go out for a bit, and I'd like you to mind the place for me." She tries not to feel the question in Brendan's eyes, and even harder not to feel that he might already know the answer.

"Always at your service, Assumpta," he replies.

As she leaves the pub, Assumpta turns to shout back to Brendan to have a pint on the house in compensation, and to be sure the till reflected all other sales. He answers with some dry humorous comment, but she is too distracted to enjoy it. Peter is just walking to his car when Assumpta's van pulls up outside St. Joseph's.

"You better leave your car here Peter. Brendan knows I'm leaving for a while. If he were to see my van parked up here -," she stops.

"Right. Let's take your van then, but let me drive. For old times sake ok?" He grins at the memory of the last time he'd driven her van but does not return the smile.

"Ok. You can drive, I don't feel like driving anyway," she says flatly as she moves around to the passenger seat.

They drive out of Ballykay in near complete silence, and Peter begins to wonder if the trip had been a good idea. No one knows they are together, that wasn't the problem. It was just that he had never seen her so upset before, not just angry- genuinely hurting. She looks absolutely panicked, as though she might jump from the van any moment.

Finally the silence becomes beyond bearing, and Peter is compelled to try to lighten the mood of his companion.

"Well some birthday drink this is shaping up to be, I know you gave me driving lessons but I sort of thought that this would be fun," he teases.

His sarcasm is palpable as he smiles and turns toward her expecting a bit of her rapier wit, or maybe a poke to the arm. What he gets rocks him to the core. Tears pour down her cheeks, and a choked sob parts her perfect lips. He starts to apologize, pulls the car to the side of the road under a very old looking knotted tree. Nearly before the vehicle has stopped Assumpta is out of it and walking away across the field beyond the tree. Peter has to sprint to catch up.

"Assumpta where are you- what is it, what's wrong?"

"I don't know why the hell I bother trying to stay in that place, I don't know who I am anymore, where I belong. I look in the mirror, and I don't know that tired, embittered person on the other side. I was happy once. I had hope for a real future. She is so sad, so scared, and so lonely. I hate her sometimes. Between Brian and his `Bar and Grill' and the complete lack of a life in the town, I mean there is no one I can share anything with, Niamh has Ambrose, everyone has someone," she finally pauses and he jumps in soothing.

"You have me. You will always have me," Peter's eyes speak volumes even though his voice has apparently failed him.

"It's not the same thing Peter and you know it," she answers quietly looking at her toes.

"Maybe if you let me in a bit more, you wouldn't feel so lonely, maybe not. Just know I'm here if you need me. Not as a Priest, as a friend, as a person who cares very much for you and your happiness," he stops feeling this was going a tad too far.

"I know you care. I ca- I appreciate that very much. Maybe you're right; maybe if I did let people in more I would feel better about my life. I don't know. I do feel a good deal better now than I did. I suppose I just needed to talk. Thank you Peter," she reaches up suddenly and pulls him close in a very sweet embrace which lasts somewhat longer than either of them expected but neither wishes to break contact right away. Finally she steps back, and he looks down at her.

"We should probably head back to town. Wouldn't want to start any rumors, now would we Assumpta?"

"No, we couldn't have that Peter," she answers sarcastically.

************************************ (Several hours later) **********************************

As Peter was trying to forget the feeling of Assumpta's arms around him, and his around her, he drifted in and out of wakefulness and slowly became aware of Assumpta's voice floating through the night air to his ears. At first he thought he was dreaming, but within moments some of her words became clear, and there was another voice mixing with hers.

"You are unbelievable -"

"I'm telling you Assumpta Quigley has gone too far this time!"

"Siobhan!"

FIN


End file.
